Whats Lingers In The Shadows
by Nallia-Chibi
Summary: Carpatian, a dangerous breed of man...with a little blood lust. not a vampire i mind you but they have similarities. A carpathian, by the name of Heero...an RN by the Name of Duo...they are tied together, meant for each other...how will there story go?
1. Promises of Death

AN: I do not own any of the GW characters, although, I did have a boyfriend once that looked like Heero. Think how interesting those stories of intimacy were lol! Enjoy!

Also, I would like to add I have been on a little bit of a hiatus because of work and school, I haven't put out any new fan fiction and I would like to apologize for that. I hope you enjoy this one, I am not really sure where it's going to end up but I hope it's worth it. Do not be afraid to review! Good or bad, I will take any reviews given.

Warning: Very dark, torturous, sadistic, masochistic, religious bashing, romance, action, revengeful, and whatever I may think of next! Hehe!

Pairings: 1x2x1 mainly. Others will be made throughout the story.

**WHAT LINGERS IN THE SHADOWS**

**CHAPTER 1 **

**PROMISES OF DEATH**

**Heero's P.O.V**

I cannot believe I fell into this trap set by mere humans. I can hear their laughter yet I am incapable of movement. My body feels like lead… so heavy and lethargic. How did I get into this mess?

These men called themselves "Vampire Hunters". Do they honestly know what they are dealing with? My people are far more dangerous, far more powerful. I am one with the earth, wind, fire, and sea. I am Carpathian.

"Boss, are you positive that the injection renders him useless?" I hear the pathetic excuse of a human say. I can hear the uneasiness in his voice as I stare at him, promising death with my unwavering, glare.

"I am sure of it." I can hear the sneer in the man's voice though, I cannot see it. They laugh as the one entranced by my stair held the stake, the weapon that will, soon, be the cause of my death.

I know my end was going to come, but I did not expect it in such a cruel manner. There is so much blood in this coffin with me… my blood, the life giving essence of our people. Although we may not be vampires… we hold qualities of similarity. These humans attacked me in my own home… I did not react fast enough and they had the upper hand almost instantly. I tried to fight, tried to release myself from the excruciating pain… but to no avail.

"Boss, when we gunna kill him" Came an excited, almost psychotic, voice from my left. I slowly turn my head. The man next to me was smoking a cigar…the same cigar that was burning my skin no more than a couple hours ago. On his hip, was the silver knife that sliced into my body like butter, not too many hours prior. Some of the cuts were deep, others shallow.

He started burning me once again; my body was wracking and burning with the pain. I could smell my flesh being burned by the cigar… I could smell the scent of death… it was useless… I was going to die… Just as the thought entered my mind, the stake came down on me and the human by the name of George, started hammering it into my chest. I did not scream, I did not try to escape… there was no point in trying, I was utterly hopeless.

"That's it George, slam it home!" I hear insane laughter and pleasure in the leader's voice as the man, George, hammers the stake into me. I will never be able to forget the sound of my muscles giving-way to the object: forget the sound of the hammer hitting the top of the stake at a steady pace. The dumb-ass missed my heart; I could not move… I was now pinned to the coffin by the stake. At this point, what little blood that may have been left so that I may live, was pouring out of my body like an untamed river. All I could do was pray to god, if were their man, to kill me now and end the pain. I could not forgive this god for allowing the men to do this, to allow one of his specimens to be tortured in such a way, just for some psychotic humans' amusement.

"How does it feel to be treated like a pig on a pike…?" The boss sneers.

With all the energy I could call forth, I stared right into his eyes, promising his death. My Prussian blue, eyes slightly start to glow. His cohort-in-crime rushes hastily forward, and covered his boss's ash gray, eyes.

"Are you crazy?? Do not let him stair into your eyes, he can kill you just with a stair! He has power of which you do not fully comprehend! He can get into your psyche and control your mind, actions, and behavior! He could have easily of made you kill yourself with that blade strapped to your chest-holster! Think, and remember, the information that has been bestowed on us, by the president of our group, before doing stupid shit like that man!"

Just as the boss hears this he spits into my face, knowing that I could not retaliate to the action. "You think to control me you parasite?" The boss leans over me and snuffs his cigarette out on my arm. I refused to scream, at this point, I could no longer depict the different sights of pain. Everything was just pure agony and torture. I shall not give them the pleasure of hearing my screams or give them a reason to indulge any longer in their torture. I would not contribute to their entertainment.

As my vision began to fade, I remember seeing the sneers on the men's face. My vision began to fade as the wooden lid, of the coffin, slowly blocked my vision of the three. I promised to myself when I get out of this, if I get out of this… I would hunt down the three men that caused me my pain and kill them with my own hands.

I could hear the loud bang of them nailing the coffin lid on. I could no longer keep myself conscious and "_Ome Oh Kuruso" _was the last thought in my mind then, my world went black.


	2. Whispering Psyche Or Just Psychotic

AN: I do not own any of the GW characters, although, I did have a boyfriend once that looked like Heero. Think how interesting those stories of intimacy were lol! Enjoy!

Also, I would like to add I have been on a little bit of a hiatus because of work and school, I haven't put out any new fan fiction and I would like to apologize for that. I hope you enjoy this one, I am not really sure where it's going to end up but I hope it's worth it. Do not be afraid to review! Good or bad, I will take any reviews given.

Warning: Very dark, torturous, sadistic, masochistic, religious bashing, romance, action, revengeful, and whatever I may think of next! Hehe!

Pairings: 1x2x1 mainly. Others will be made throughout the story.

**WHAT LINGERS IN THE SHADOWS**

**CHAPTER 2**

**WHISPERING PSYCHE OR JUST PHSYCHOTIC**

**Duo's P.O.V**

Have you ever had those days were you just seem to be off? It has been like that for me almost all week. Why I started working at the Scythe Pediatric Clinic I am not quite sure. I like to believe it was for the children, considering that this clinic was a pediatric clinic for families that do not have insurance to afford an actual one. I feel sorry for them; even though I am not much better off then the patients who come here.

But here I sit in the break room, drinking crappy tasting coffee, watching crappy news on a crappy little TV, and only getting paid enough to barely scrape by. It has just been one of those days, that even though the weather outside is beautiful, it's a shitty day for you because you are bound and determined to only look at the bad sides of every situation. Don't get me wrong, I am grateful to have this job.

Seven months ago I wouldn't have expected to have found myself here, at this clinic, working with children none-the-less. I love children, don't get me wrong, but I didn't think a man of my background would be in this profession. Seven months ago, I was working at a dingy little bar no more then five blocks away from here. What, or rather who got me interested, was a man by the name of Quatre. He and his companion, Trowa, were straight out of college with their PhDs and were hoping to open up a clinic that would be of use in this part of town. They came in one night, of course I was the bar tender ironically, and usually I would be serving. Any who, I am going off tangent, lets get back to my story.

Trowa and Quatre came into the bar, I happened to overhear them speaking of opening a clinic near by, it spiked my interest. I walked over and gave them there drinks and started a conversation with them about the particular topic. I informed them that I have taken basic courses in college that involve the medical field. Quatre, with the kind heart that he has, offered to pay for me to go back to college to finish my RN classes, for the fact that they were hurting desperately for one and could not find anybody that was eligible enough for the job. I guess you can say that they gave me an interview right there in the dingy bar, over some drinks. Kind of an unexpected situation, don't you think? So, I took him up on his generous offer and returned to college in order to receive my RN license. During the duration of attending college, Quatre invited me to stay with him and Trowa. We three became fast friends after that, he even let me help with picking the building of which to turn into the tiny clinic, and what to name it.

It sounds almost like a fairytale come true, when in reality, it isn't. Even though they have the titles, why they chose to work here, and accepting petty cash in exchange for medical care, I am not sure. Every time I question Quatre about money issues, he seems to shy from it… which just makes me more curious as to how he is affording all the medical supply, and equipment that is needed for this small clinic. I have yet to figure him out fully, but that is what makes the challenge and I enjoy the mystery.

But here I am none the less, sitting in the break room contemplating my thoughts. As of the last two months, I have been waking up in a cold sweat, with tears in my eyes, with no recollection as to why they were there. Every other night I have been having strange nightmares of a man with Prussian blue eyes, covered in blood, and looking about near his death. Sometimes I swear I can hear an out-of-body voice screaming at me to come to where he lays. Is this person real? Their can be no way that he could be…. right? I am not quite sure as to if he is or not. All I know is that his looks should be outlawed or something.

It is no secret of mine to say, proudly, that I am gay. I mean, how many straight men out there would become a male nurse in a pediatric hospital? I know of none. Most nurses these days are female, especially when it involves children. But this man….he really makes me itch. With his Prussian blue eyes, his out of control brown locks, his Asian looks, and with that build. Even though I have only seen blood, felt hatred and pain, I know this man must be breathtakingly beautiful for a man. But who am I kidding; he is just a figment of my imagination that I thought up to comfort me at night. Why I made him so tortured, such in agony, I do not know… I still do not really get how my mind works sometimes. But I mean how pathetic, obsessed with a man of my dreams that only I could think up. Ha-ha Maxwell, you make yourself laugh.

This isn't the first time I have had a situation like this, it's like I have a sixth sense or something when it comes to people near death. I usually can hear voices of people close to death; I guess you might say that, that could be a reason for me having joined up with Quatre and Trowa to run a clinic. They learned, after opening the clinic, that I seemed to have this special ability of locating children in desperate need of medical attention. They could not comprehend on how I was able to do this, but they never seem to ask me about it either which I am grateful for. I, personally, do not like the voices I hear in my head, some are freakishly scary, others of children crying out for help or for there parents to make the pain stop. That is why I am questioning these dreams now. Although this is the first time I have dreamt of someone and seen them clearly in my head, it kind of worries me as to if there really is a man out there that needs my help.

But what am I to do? Should I listen, should I find this tortured man? But then what…? I deal with children; I have no real idea what to do with a grown man, or woman alike, when it comes to comforting them and patching them up. I guess it wouldn't be much different from a child… but children are so much easier to handle in my opinion.

Since I am somewhat of a comedian, I can make them laugh over the littlest things, make them smile just by using simple comforting words, help them sleep just by reading to them, or singing to them, as they fall asleep in the recovery rooms. It gives them a sense of security I suppose… but that would not work with a grown man or woman… I really have no idea if these voices I hear, these things I see, are real. It makes me question my sanity at times... makes me ask myself _"Is it my psyche whispering to me? Or am I just plain out psychotic?" _ With thoughts like that, alone, would drive a man into madness… to have to question your sanity on a daily basis… it really is quite troubling.

"Duo… Duo… DUO!" I snapped out of my thoughts quickly to hear Quatre calling for me.

"I am sorry man, what where you saying?"

"Duo, I have been calling for you, over the intercom, for the last five minutes. You didn't hear me?"

"Well, duh Quat. If I heard you, you wouldn't have had to come all the way to the break room to get my attention" I say with a snicker.

I watch Quatre shake his blonde hair out of his sky blue eyes. I will admit he has rather decent looks although he is not really my taste. I will admit though that Trowa knows how to pick them, and with his bold personality, he was lucky that it wasn't an insult to the small blonde to be asked if he was interested or gay. I snicker at the thought. I really don't know their story, but I am sure it is quite hilarious considering every time I tease them about there relationship, Trowa turns beat red and briskly walks out of the room.

"Well, I don't really want to know what you were thinking that would distract you to where you wouldn't hear me calling." Quatre says with a slight shake of the head and a sigh. "Anyway, I need your assistance in Room 152. Our patient is rather upset and asking, and I quote "I want Mr. Duo! Now!"

"Ah, I take it you are trying to stick the poor kid with a needle again. Man, I told you that Aries hates needles; you have to be able to distract her as you are doing the task. Apparently you don't hold that quality."

"Go ahead Duo, talk yourself up." He shakes his head and continues, "Are you going to get off your lazy ass and help? Or are you going to make me traumatize the girl further?"

"Alright alright, I will be there shortly. Let me; at least, finish up my crappy drink before I tango with that little firework."

Quatre nods, "I expect you in the room in nothing later then five minutes. So drink fast, don't make me have to have Trowa come in here and drag you out." He laughs softly as he walks out.

The look on my face was priceless I am sure. The last time he used Trowa as leverage, I found myself in my boxers at the college because I had refused to get up to attend my morning class.

Pushing my thoughts to the back of my mind, I finish my crappy coffee in one gulp, turn off the crappy TV, and leave the tiny little break room to tackle the little firework by the name of Aries. Wish me luck…


	3. My Will My Way

AN: Sorry for the late update everyone. I have been having troubles with a bitchy teacher that thinks she is god so she has been causing so much trouble for me since the beginning of the term. I would like to point out that one of my reviewers has called this a slash. In a way it is, I based this story off of a book called _Dark Desire_ by Christine Feehan. If you have not read any of her books I suggest that you do along with _Black Dagger Brotherhood _seriesby J. R. Ward. Both are most graphic with there vampire novels. So go by them!!

Warnings: See previous chapters please, I do not really want to type them all out again I am lazy lol.

Pairings: 1x2x1 mainly, but the other GW boys will slowly, but surely, make there entrance if not have there own stories since I am using Christine Feehan's books as references.

**WHAT LINGERS IN THE SHADOWS**

**CHAPTER 3**

"**MY WILL MY WAY"**

The agony continued, went on relentlessly. Heero has sent mental call after call out into the night; none of his kind came to help him. Where were they? His kin? His friends? Why wouldn't they come to him and end this? Had it been a conspiracy? Had they deliberately left him to the butchers who had previously wielded their knives and cigarettes with such delight? It had been someone Heero knew that betrayed him, but the memories were fading fast, obscured by his endless pain.

Time no longer meant anything to Heero, his world had become so narrow, but at some point he felt another's presence in his mind. The touch was far off, male, and young. He had no idea how he had inadvertently connected with this man, his mind melded to his so that this man was sharing his torment, every scorching burn, every searing cut prior to now. Heero's blood loss still drained his life force from his weakened body. He tried to remember who this mysterious man may be. He had to, in some way, be close to this person in order to share minds.

This unknown man was as helpless as Heero was, enduring the pain with him, sharing his agony. Heero tried to close himself off from him, the need to protect him was paramount in him, yet he was far too weak to block his own mentally traumatizing thoughts. The pain still poured out of him; has not stopped pouring out of him, a raging torrent, following straight to the male tapping into his mind.

The man's anguish hit him like a powerful blow. He was, after all, a Carpathian male. His duty was to protect this man above all other things. That he should falter so added to his agony and sense of failure. He caught brief images of this male in his mind, slightly tall, built, long chestnut braid that flowed down his back like a silken waterfall, curled up on the end of his queen size bed in pain, desperately trying to keep a tight grip on his sanity. He seemed a stranger to him, yet he saw her in color, something that he hasn't seen in centuries. He could not send them both to sleep to escape this endless agony. He could only catch fragments of the man's thoughts as he called out for help, tried to decipher what was happening to him.

Droplets of blood began to seep from his pores. Red blood. He clearly could see that his blood was red. This meant something important, and yet he was completely confused, unable to discern why it was significant to his people and what it meant. His mind was hazy, as if a great veil were being drawn over his brain. He struggles to "see" the image of the one of his own kind who had betrayed him, but the picture would not return to his mind. There was only pain. Terrible, endless pain. His mind chose that moment to shatter like glass, into a million little fragments and he could no longer remember what, or whom, he was struggling to protect.

_Duo Maxwell lye curled up on his queen size, extensive mattress, the lamp on the cherry wood, side table provided enough light for him to read his medical journal. He covered page after page in mere seconds, committed the information to memory as he had since he was a child. Now he was completing his residency, the youngest resident on record, and it was an exhausting ordeal. He hurried to finish the text, wanting to get what little rest he could. The pain hit him hard and suddenly, slammed into him with so much virulence that he had been thrown off the bed, his body contorted by the force. He tried to call out, blindly crawled to the phone, but he could only writhe on the floor helplessly. Sweat beaded on his skin; smear of crimson blood seeped through his pores. The pain was like nothing he had ever experienced, as if someone had cut his flesh with a knife, burnt him, torturing him endlessly. It went on and on—hours, days, he didn't know. No one came to help him, and they wouldn't; he was currently at home by himself while Quatre and Trowa were on a date. At the end, when the pain ripped through him as if a hole the size of his fist had been opened in his chest, he finally lost consciousness. This is how he was found, three hours later, when Quatre and Trowa had returned home._

Heero was a creature of the night. The dark was his home. Yet now, in his agony, it was his enemy. There was only pain and silence. Always before, he was the one who chose whether to stay in the darkness, in the healing soil. Now he was a prisoner, locked away, with the soil just out of reach. Comfort should have been his, was near, yet always the wood of the coffin prevented his body from touching what would have eventually healed his wounds.

Hunger began to make itself known. Time passed, meant nothing. Only the terrible, relentless hunger that grew until it became his entire world. Agony; hunger; nothing else existed for him anymore.

He found, after a great stretch of time, that he could put himself back to sleep. But the return of his gift meant nothing to him anymore. He could remember nothing; his life now consisted of sleep only to wake when an inquisitive creature strayed too close. The rush of agony consumed him with every strained heart beat. He conserved as much strength as possible in order to draw food to him. Sources were few and far between. Even the insects have learned to stay away from the place of darkness and the malevolent creature that was dwelling there.

In the moments that seeped past during his waking hell, he would whisper his name to himself. _Heero Yuy._ He was real. He existed and lived in hell. This is the only way he could keep what little sanity that may be left. Hours turned to days, days to weeks, and weeks to months. He could no longer remember any other way of life. There was no hope, no peace, and no way out. There was no end. There was only the darkness, pain, and unbearable hunger. Time continued to pass, meant nothing to his limited world.

His wrists her in chains so that he had little room to move, but ever time a creature came close enough to awaken him, he scratched at the walls of the coffin in vein attempt to get out, to reach the only source of food. His strength of mind was beginning to return so he could eventually coax his prey to him, yet only enough to survive. There was no way of replacing his strength without replacing the mass amounts of blood that he had lost. The creatures, that lived underground, were not big enough to replace that of which has been lost, only enough to keep going. Every time that he would move, wake, fresh blood would drip steadily from his wounds. Without the necessary amount of blood to replace the loss, his body could not heal itself. The circle was endless, hideous, an ugly cycle that would last for all eternity.

Then the dreams began to intrude, waking him when he was starving and having no way to fill that void. A man, he recognized him, alive, no chains, not buried beneath the earth, but moving freely around and smiling. He was just out of his mind's reach, yet he could not touch her. Why isn't he coming to him? Why isn't he responding to his mind's call? He was calling to him, pleading, begging, and even raged. Where was he? Why is he allowing his agony to continue when even the presence of the man in his mind would ease the terrible sense of isolation? What had he done that been as terrible as to deserve this punishment?

Anger began to fill his world, hatred even. In the place of a man a monster grew, deadly, dangerous, feeding on the pain, and became a will that could not be crushed. Fifty years, a hundred—what did it matter if he traveled all the way to the gates of hell to get his revenge? He already resided in it with every waking moment.

He will come to me, he vowed it. If it took him torturing this angelic man in order to ensure his escape, he would do anything in his power to make it so. Once he found this man he would become the shadow in his mind, reside there and get familiar with it, he would do whatever it took; be there to cause any amount of pain, to get his revenge on this man that left him; could hear him but never answered, never came to save him. He would become familiar enough with this man's mind in order to force his will upon him, to ensure that he comes; he will have his revenge.

This man could not escape him forever, he will have his way. This man will know every pain, every sorrow, and his hell on earth. This man will be his savior and his meal as soon as he comes on his own accord or by his mind's force. It's inevitable.


	4. Meet, Greet, and Learn

AN: Sorry for the late update everyone. I am currently in the process of moving and do not know when these will be updated. I would also like to thank my long followers, I know I haven't posted a new chapter for a year and I apologize greatly for that. I would also like to say that I will try my best to keep this story alive; I haven't picked the reference book up since I finished it last year, so I may be a little rusty. I would like to point out that one of my reviewers has called this a slash. In a way it is, I based this story off of a book called _Dark Desire_ by Christine Feehan. If you have not read any of her books I suggest that you do along with _Black Dagger Brotherhood _series by J. R. Ward. Both are most graphic with their vampire novels. So go by them!

Warnings: See previous chapters please, I do not really want to type them all out again I am lazy lol.

Pairings: 1x2x1 mainly, but the other GW boys will slowly, but surely, make their entrance if not have their own stories since I am using Christine Feehan's books as references.

WHAT LINGERS IN THE SHADOWS

CHAPTER 4

MEET, GREET, AND LEARN

**Duo's POV**

How long has it been? Months, weeks, I cannot recall when I decided to go on my gut feeling and chase after this imaginary man that only my mind can think up. I mean seriously, how insane does one have to be to travel across the ocean, to a foreign land and not even bothering to learn a lick of Japanese before taking off? Again, only I the all mighty Duo would do something as extreme as this for a man that should be outlawed for his looks and probably doesn't even exist!

So here I am, in Iwamizawa Japan, sitting in a little restaurant of which I couldn't tell you much about because I can't read the fucking menu, none the less the fucking sign out front! Yah, what a brilliant idea it is to be here, listening to the very angry and pained voice of a man in my head, with haunting cobalt blue eyes. I can say the town is rather big compared to the surrounding areas. The area, of which I am heading, is towards Mt. Ikushunbetsu. The natives around here claim that you have to hike back to these mountains, that there is no tour agency with the guts to travel up that way. That is just my luck, right? Not only did I have to spend all my savings, including some of Quatre's, in order to get this far, now this imaginary man is leading me out to where I cannot be heard if I were to scream … yeah just my luck.

"Hello sir, my name is Juan, I will be serving you this morning, can I interest you in a drink?" I hear a thickly accented young lady, with dark bluish black hair; say to me with a big grin and a cute tilt of her head.

I smile back at her because you got to admit, it's contagious when presented in such a way, "Actually I am just traveling the area and I really do not know the dishes around here very well." I give her a sly smirk of my own and point at the menu, "Is there anything on this menu that would slightly resemble coke?"

Chuckling slightly, Juan points to a weird shaped bottle with a dark color to it, "Around here we have what you would call Ramune. Ramune is a carbonated flavored drink that is served in a bottle such as in this picture, I do believe we may have a cherry maple flavor that would be somewhat like coke if that is okay?"

I dramatically slouch back in my chair with a puff of air, "You're a life saver Juan, yes that would be great and thank you for helping me out, most people I noticed around here lack in the English department."

Juan shakes her head with that cute smile again and slouches down as if to whisper in my ear a secret, "actually, the natives around here would say you are the one lacking in the knowledge of how to speak our native tongue." She giggles lightly by my ear before sauntering off to retrieve my drink.

Now that, guys, floored me. I didn't expect Juan to be that forward or open with a stranger considering the natives that I had tried to ask for directions from seemed to be very hesitant about giving them, none the less speaking of the mountains of which I was pointing out on a map of the area. The people around here are strange, they do not seem to speak to each other and I think this is the quietest little hole in the wall I had ever heard of, or not heard so to say. As I scope the little restaurant I notice the others sitting around me seem to have a fricking staring problem, and they call us Americans rude, yeah right.

_ Come to me pacchiri, you will come to me…_

I winced at the sound of that pained voice again and gripped my head; damn this incessant man and his persistence in giving me a flipping headache, a day is all I ask for of quiet, just one fucking day!

_ "I know you are close pacchiri, I can sense you." Heero mentally persisted, pushed, and even sent pain with that, he will have his revenge. This braided baka will come to him whether he likes it or not, he will have his way! "You WILL come to me!" Heero sends to him mentally, he can sense the braided young man's irritation with his persistence, he may think Heero is persistent but he has yet to feel how persistent he can be! Just this little effort of reeling the young man in this far has worn Heero out to his last string of energy. After sending a searing wave a pain to the young braided man Heero finally lays off, thinking it to be safe because of the closeness of which the braided baka is at, he will give the man what he asked for. Besides, he needed to save his strength for when the time came to teach this baka a thing about ignoring his please for so long and not coming to free him until now, whenever now may be._

I lay my head down on the cool table and promptly see white specks before my eyes. I can here Juan yelling for me, asking if I were okay, and demanding for someone to retrieve a wet cloth which I felt was promptly put on the back of my neck and my braid tossed over my shoulder.

"Sir, can you hear me? Please sir, give me some sign that you are okay!" Juan yells near my ear which make my headache even worse, I slowly wave my hand with a grown and grip the back of my head and neck, holding the wet cloth on my neck in place.

"I am okay babe, just a really bad headache." To say the least… "I am sorry for frightening you; I am okay now though, just a really bad headache. Did you get my Ratimine or whatever it's called?"

Juan promptly lets out a sigh and slightly giggles as the others in the restaurant go back to what they were doing prior to Juan's freak out session, "yes sir, here." Juan sets the weird shaped bottle against my open palm. "And it's called Ramune sir. Did you have a chance to look at the menu before you put the dent in my table?" she asks with a smile.

"Nah, can't read it anyway, just give me what is good and edible, with pork or beef please?" I turn my head to make eye contact with her and smile softly.

"Sure, no problem, I will go ahead and get that order in for you, are you sure you're okay?" Juan gives me a rather cute worried look.

"I am fine sweetie and thank you again for your help, I really do appreciate it." I give her one of my 'knock them off their feet' smiles and she gives me a slight cute nod and goes off to put in my order. God, what a trip. Did he really need to pick now of all times to give him this? I roll my head on the cool surface of the table before sitting back and putting the wet cloth on my forehead and closed my eyes. Geez this was a bad one, everything was going spinney on me, and I will be surprised if I am capable of keeping whatever Juan brings out, down. I pop the ball in the top of the bottle and smirk after taking a long swig, she was right, it does taste like coke.

Miraculously, I was capable of keeping down the great noodle and beef platter that Juan brought out, so now here I am just walking around town, not knowing where I came from or where I was going none the less where I was going to sleep to night being the no money American that I am. No place looked livable in the area of town I was in _This must be the broke side of town...maybe there will be an empty cardboard box I could sleep in tonight._ I thought this to myself, not really sure what to think at the time.

_Pacchiri...why would one such as you be wandering in such a cruddy part of town instead of heading where I told you to go..._Damn him...

_Stay out of my head, wait you cannot really do that since I thought you up. Fine, rewording, stay out of my thoughts, and why I am in this town is none of your concern, you are the one that dragged me painfully all the way here, so fuck you alright? Just fuck you I don't know this area and you have no right to be sniffing around in my thoughts so stay out of them whomever you are...whatever you are...what am I saying! I am thinking and fighting with myself...would that be considered as insanity? Am I really going insane?_

Why am I speaking to myself...he isn't really there and I am really insane, I need to get some damn help. Anyway...

_ I am not a figment of your imagination, one such as your race could not think of such a being as me...I am very real and you are going to come to me pacchiri..._

_ Just stay out of my head you whack job! You already caused me a huge migraine and you are just making it worse, just shut up and leave me be! _I cover my ears and crouch down with a yell. I notice several people popping their heads out from the boxes staring.

"What are YOU ALL staring at! Haven't ya ever seen a man struggling with his sanity!"

"Konichiwah..." A soft young voice comes from my right. I turn and look at her, a look that probably will cause her nightmares for the next few days. Once I noticed she was a young girl maybe only 12, my snarl softened and I gave her a soft smile. "Hello sweetie, where are your parents? Why are you out here by yourself?"

the girl had almost raven black hair and the most beautiful green eyes I had ever seen, I am betting both features came from her mother. The girls eyes went big and she looked around before running off down the road. "Whoa, sweetie come back I didn't mean to startle you!" I run after her, down the street and around the corner where I ran squarely into a broad chest and landed on my ass.

"Dammit watch where you are walking man! I was trying...to...catch..." I trail off as I stare up at this man that must have been about 6''2 with bright green eyes and brownish hair. Then I look down and notice the little girl hiding behind the mans leg with big scared round eyes.

The man promptly crossed his arms and shook his shaggy head with a smirk before reaching down a hand to help me up. I hesitantly took his hand and gave him a suspicious look as I dusted off my dirt covered ass.

I hear, no, more like I feel a humerus laugh in my head before the presence in my mind receded and I was left alone with my thoughts.

"Konichiwah...or as you would understand it as hello." The young man turned and put his hand on top of the little girls head and looked back at me. "I am sorry if my sister has caused you trouble, Mayani apologize to the young man for running away from him like a scared rabbit."

I look down at the sweet face of the girl and yet again crouch to get on her level and stick my hand out, "Nah, she just startled me, I was havin' a mini break down back there and she happened to stumble in on me in that situation, so I should be the one to apologize," I looked back down to her with a sweet smile, "Mayani, I am sorry for scaring you back there, you startled me...my name is Duo. I may run, I may hide, but I never tell a lie." I give her a sparkling smile and look back at the young man.

The young man translated for me, once he was done the little girl said something back to him and he looked at me, "She says she thought you were hurt and didn't know if she could lead you back to me because you spoke weird." the young man chuckled and I joined in, "By the way, my name is Koha," the little girl spoke and he turned to listen at first then turned back to me, "She wants to know if you are okay."

I touch the girls hair lightly and smile with a nod while looking into her brilliant green eyes, "I am fine sweetie but I thank you for your concern." I looked at the man to let him know I was done talking and he translated, Mayani then promptly nodded and hugged me before taking off toward the metal hut they called home. I stood up and stuck my hand out to him, "Duo, Duo Maxwell, and I am here trying to find someone that can be located near Mt. Ikushunbetsu, and currently I am lost. Do you know of a hotel around here that is cheap? I am low on cash and need somewhere to crash for the night."

Koha laughed and shook his head, "I am afraid you are way off from where you need to be, And as far as anybody inhabiting that area, there is no one out that far, I mean there may be some day spa out that far for the hot springs but other then that, who are you looking for man?"

_You got to be fucking kidding me, you don't exist I fucking knew it, god this was a waist of my time and effert dammit!_ "What do you mean there is nobody out there, I have been falling my instinct on the location of the person and it leads me strait to Mt. Ikushunbetsu."

Koha shook his head and sighs, "Look, nobody is out their I can promise you that, but you can feel free to crash at my place until you find out your actual location. Gomen, for having to tell you the bad news but nothing is out their."

With a sigh I look up at him and shrugged, "I still am gunna check it out, but thank you for the offer. If I am not too much of a burden I will gladly take you up on your offer to stay, I am about to crash on my feet, I am still not use to the time difference."

Koha nods and motioned for me to follow him I grudgedly followed him to his place and looked inside, from what I could see was two cots, a little camper stove and a container with clean water, and a bucket that looked as if it may be the toilet..._great..._

I look around and back at Koha, his head was hung and looking at his shoes, "Look, I know it ain't much but that's all I have to offer, go ahead and sleep on my cot." Koha points to the cot on the left. "Me and Mayani will sleep in hers tonight," He looks to the cot on the right and smirks, "Looks like she beat me to the punch, sweet dreams Duo." He nods and flops down on the cot near his sister and leaves me to my own means.

I sigh and slowly walk over to the cot, took my shoes and shirt off, cover up with the grungy covers and close my eyes. Awesome._...Feels just like home._ And my world promptly falls into a pleasant dreamless sleep. _Thank you lord..._


End file.
